John McCusker/The Times-Picayune archiveKellie Tabb was photographed walking along the water's edge at her home on Homewood Place in Reserve on Dec. 8.

After decades of drainage woes punctuated by days of flooding after two recent storms, residents of a Reserve street may finally get relief.

St. John the Baptist Parish Council members asked administrators and parish attorneys to come up with a short-term solution to fix a longtime drainage issue on Homewood Place during Tuesday night's Finance Committee meeting.

Parish administrators have been charged with presenting a plan to stop street flooding on Homewood by the committee's and council's Jan. 12 meetings.

John McCusker/The Times-Picayune archiveCassius Bering and Raynor Derkins paddle down Homewood PLace in Reserve on Dec. 8.

A councilman who spearheaded the effort said residents needed boats to travel on the street and awoke to sewage spewing out of their bathtubs after two storms earlier this month.

Councilman Charles Julien said he wanted something done immediately.

"We need to act on it right now," said Julien, who represents the area.

Julien originally asked that the council approve a resolution that would hire an engineering firm to begin design work to fix flooding on Homewood. However, Councilman Richard "Dale" Wolfe offered a subsequent motion to task administrators with putting together a solution.

The word "immediately" was added by Julien to the new motion before it passed unanimously.

Julien said that fixing the problem on Homewood would also alleviate flooding in other areas of Reserve.

Several communities throughout St. John flooded after two early December rainstorms, which brought more than 24 inches of rain, said acting Parish President Pat McTopy.

After Julien's motion, council members voiced their concerns over flooding in Homewood, which has repeatedly flooded for the past 30 years.

"There's no reason for this to keep happening to them," said Councilwoman Cheryl Millet, who said she sympathizes with the residents of Homewood.

Buddy Boe, acting chief administrative officer, said the administration had been working on plans to fix street flooding problems in various areas of the parish, including Homewood. He said Tuesday's motion will expedite the work.

This was the council's last scheduled meeting for 2009. Julien said he hopes that when the council meets next year, there will be a solution on the table.

"It should have been done 30 years ago," Julien said. "I would have felt better if they said they'd start work tonight, but we'll come back in the new year and we'll make this happen."